The Potential Produced by Cardiac Muscle. A General and a Particular Solution

Abstract

Let us consider a mass of cardiac muscle immersed in an extensive homogeneous volume conductor. The value of the potential at a point in the conductor, produced by any given distribution of depolarization or repolarization may be obtained theoretically in the following way:Let v2 denote the particular region or volume of the muscle mass which is undergoing depolarization at a given instant. Let us choose any point O as the origin of a rectangular coordinate system X, Y, Z. Let (X2 Y2, Z2) be any convenient point within the region v2. Let dv2 be an element of volume of v2 at the point (X2, Y2, Z2). Let the magnitude of the vector O represent the intensity of depolarization of the element dv2, and let the direction of O be that of a line drawn from the effective negative toward the effective positive ionic charge within the element dv2. The vector quantity Odv2 is then the electric moment of depolarization.Let us choose next any other (fixed) point (X1, Y1, Z1) within the volume conductor, in the vicinity o...